Journey's End
by Chris Robins
Summary: He was taken from her, by means they never knew existed and now she's doing her best to wait in hopes of his safe return. Oneshot, short and sweet. Little more on the SciFi end of the spectrum, but I call it adventure. R&R if you'd like.


_A/N: Just a one shot with an idea I came up with last night, and hearkening back to my roots. ^_^_

_This was a throw together, so I apologize if there's any glaring mistakes (both spelling and even details wise, its been awhile since I strayed into the realm of Weyard)  
_

_R&R if you would please. _

_Golden Sun = not mine_

*EDIT (12/31/09): Thanks to ThorHammer17 for pointing out some horrible grammar on my part. The offending lines have been fixed. Thanks again!

**Journey's End**

A cold, chilling breeze swept across the snow covered plains of Imil. It was nearing the winter months, or at least, what the townsfolk referred to as winter. To a common bystander, it was always winter here, especially if they came from the southern reaches of Angara.

_'Or Vale...' _ chuckled a young looking girl, whose hair was as blue as the Mercury Lighthouse itself. _'Or at least... that's what you use to say...'_

Mia was out and about in the village, performing her usual duties as Healer. Even with the Hermes Water flowing freely again from Mercury's fountain, it did not wipe sickness and disease away from the village entirely.

She stopped in front of one of the many new homes that had been constructed over the past year. Since Mercury's lighting, trade and commerce had increased significantly for the small harbor village. Demand was particularly high for Hermes Water, and the village was prospering.

"Hello? Mr. and Mrs Liaben? Are you home?" she called, wrapping lightly on the door. She heard noises from the inside and someone shuffling around before a voice responded.

"Coming Mia, just a moment," and the door opened revealing an elderly lady clad in several layers of thick wool clothes. "I'm so glad you made it my dear, my husband's been bed ridden for days."

Mia smiled as she was ushered in, "It's my pleasure Mrs. Liaben, I'm glad to help in any way I can."

_Cough... cough.. Hack, Cough Cough, _ "Mia, dear?" _cough... cough, _"Is that... you?"

Mia's smile faded to a worried look, "Goodness Mr. Liaben, is that how you've been for the past few days?"

The man nodded weakly, coughing and wheezing. Mia didn't waste any time and went straight to the man's bedside. She regarded him slightly, noticing the bead of sweat across his wrinkled forehead. The way his gray hair seemed lighter, and weaker.

She noticed his constant shaking and how despite even with several thick blankets on top of him, he still would not stop convulsing from what looked like a cold sweat.

"Have you tried the Hermes Water?" she asked the woman.

"We have," she replied, "It helped, but it wouldn't take away the sickness."

Mia nodded in understanding and pulled away some of the top layers of the blankets.

She turned around briefly, taking off her familiar blue tunic, giving her arms a little more freedom to move about.

"Will he be alright, Mia?" asked Mrs. Liaben, concern clearly in her voice.

Mia smiled back brightly, "I don't see why not, I'm just going to quickly check him and I'll let you know for sure."

The old lady nodded and proceeded to watch the young woman examine the man's body. Carefully, and with an angel's touch, Mia pressed in on his stomach in several places, before shifting her stance slightly and trying different angles. During the poking and prodding, she injected a small amount of healing psynergy as she went, in hopes of easing the man's pain. When she felt there was nothing out of place she shifted to his legs, following a similar process as to that of the man's stomach.

His breathing slowed, and the shaking started to weaken, "My dear girl... Where did you learn that?"

Mia giggled, "In my travels the past few years, I've learned various techniques to enhance the healing process. My psynergy can only do so much." _'It wasn't enough to help you...'_ she said to herself, but quickly pushed the thoughts aside.

"Almost done, Mr Liaben, and then I'll see if I can't help you kick this bug."

She stopped checking his legs, satisfied that everything was in order and proceeded to his neck and head.

"Your neck is stiff, and it feels like some areas are swollen. While I can't make the swelling go away altogether, I can help it a little."

The man nodded in thanks and Mia stepped back and smiled. To show that she was doing something, she placed both her hands over his head and muttered, "Ply."

To an adept, the room turned a brilliant blue as a fairy like creature surrounded the old man's bed. Mia watched the familiar creature dance and twirl in the air before leaving a shower of blue crystals fall onto the man's body and disappeared.

"Oh... that feels much better," he replied as the healing psynergy seeped into his being.

She stopped the technique and watched happily as he sat up in his bed.

"Thank you very much Mia!" he beamed at her, his strength returning. "I feel much better thanks to you."

Mia nodded and smiled back, "Just stay in bed for a few more hours to give your body a little more time to rest. You should be back on your feet before mid-day."

"Thank you my child," said the old lady. "You have my deepest thanks!"

"It was my pleasure," Mia responded and went to grab her cloak.

As she walked past the man's bed to leave, he called out to her, "Mia my dear... Whatever happened to that nice young man with the sun streaked hair? I was hoping to see him by your side more often, now that your journeys have ended."

Mia stumbled slightly, unprepared for the question but quickly hid her emotions behind her smile, "He's... preoccupied at the moment, you know, busy gallivanting off seeking adventure as all boys do."

She ended with a huff, which was unintentional on her part, but made the two elders in the room laugh.

"You two make a good couple," said the old lady and the comment made Mia's cheeks burn a tint of rose.

She chuckled weakly, "Thank you Mrs. Liaben, I'll be sure to pass that on to him the next time he's around." _'If he ever comes back...'_

"Good day Mia!" they both called as she left the house, back into the cold.

"Same to you, and may Mercury always watch over you."

The door shut behind her and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Her once bright Mercury eyes faded as she glanced towards the Lighthouse.

_'So much was given... Why did you always have to be the Hero...'_

She brought her hand over heart, _'Please Isaac... Come back to me...'_

Mia sighed aloud, and started walking to the Lighthouse as past events filled her mind.

_Flashback:_

_Three Years ago and a few months after the Lighting of Mars and the reunion of the Peoples of Vale..._

Everyone was celebrating the Reawakening as Kraden had called it.

"Don't you see!?" he shouted to a somewhat quiet Isaac, "the world has re-awoken! Already you can see the mountains changing, the grass is greener, the skies clearer!"

Garet snorted, "And Vale's no more."

"Oh hush," chided Jenna as she bopped him over the head. "Just because Vale was destroyed doesn't mean we can't rebuild."

"Owww, but Jenna..." he moaned.

She shot him one of her glares and he stopped immediately, his eyes looking like a puppy about to be smacked.

Mia giggled at their antics, "Good one, Jenna."

"Hey!" shouted Garet as Jenna winked.

"I do my best."

That caused Isaac to chuckle as well, "Good thing too, and here I thought no one would ever be able to control him."

Garet hung his head low, "Ahhh come on guys..."

Everyone laughed, "Oh don't you worry Garet," snickered Jenna. "I know of someone who has just as tight of a leash around him as I do you."

Garet looked up and smirked, "Haha, too true."

Their attention fell onto a slightly embarrassed Mia and a fidgeting Isaac.

"Yeah yeah," he laughed half heatedly. "Well, I'm going to take my shift on border patrol. I'll see you guys later."

"Audios!" called Garet and he and Jenna walked towards a cluster of tents that made up the refugees of Vale.

Mia waved her goodbyes to them and turned to catch up to Isaac. She frowned as she caught up to him.

"Isaac, what's wrong? Surely their teasing didn't get to you?"

Isaac shook his head, "No of course not, its just as funny when we tease them," he smiled and took her hand to reassure her. "Something else has been on my mind, and its been bugging me since we got back from Prox.."

Mia tilted her head, surprised at his confession. "That was some time ago, its been bothering you since then?"

He nodded, "Yeah, it was something I needed to time to confirm, before I bothered anyone with what might have been a false worry."

Mia smiled sadly, _'Always the hero...'_ "Well, can you tell me what's on your mind?"

Isaac smiled weakly, "Do you remember some of the things I told you, that the Wise One said to me?"

Mia rolled her eyes, "How can I forget? It's not every day some greater being calls you the 'chosen one' and talks about long forgotten prophecies about to be fulfilled."

Isaac laughed, "Yeah, he does have a way with words..."

They passed several villagers before leaving the refugee camp and started on a wide perimeter sweep, looking for any creatures that might be nesting, or readying themselves to raid the people.

"So... what does this have to do with the Wise One?"

Isaac's face darkened, and it scared her slightly. "I... I think I have a part of the Golden Sun in me. Well, three of the four parts actually..."

Mia stopped dead in her tracks, "What!?"

He nodded weakly, "Shortly after we got here, the Wise One came to me in a dream. He said he stopped Alex from gaining the complete Golden Sun, and hid away three parts of the artifact in me, while Alex has the fourth..."

Mia blinked twice, "So does that mean he's still alive and there's four parts in total?"

"It would seem he is and yes," Isaac replied. "And I can only guess that the Sun is made up of four parts, each part being a small piece from the Lighthouses..."

Mia nodded in understanding as they ducked under several low lying tree branches.

"That makes sense, but how did you come to this?"

Isaac smiled, a bit of playfulness in his eyes. "That one is actually quite easy to answer... Watch..." he said, while pointing to a group of rodents and zombies collecting in a grove nearby.

He motioned for her to stay where she was and he crept slowly up to the unsuspecting enemies. She heard him muffle something under his breath and her eyes widened in surprise when Frost, Whirlwind, and Flare quickly dispatched the creatures.

Mia stared dumbly at him as he turned around, all smiles, "See?"

Her surprise melted away into a sense of curiosity and excitement, "You can cast three of the four element types?"

He nodded, "And that's without any Djinn on me either... I'm aligned with Venus, and yet I know Mercury, Jupiter and Mars as well..."

"Wow..." she awed at him. "Do you know advanced techniques?"

He smirked and a mischievously gleam entered his eyes that sent shivers down her spine, "Isaac... what are you...?"

And in an instant he had disappeared.

"Isaac?" she called out.

"Right here," he chuckled from behind her, causing Mia to jump and nearly scream.

"You... You can teleport?" she panted.

His smiling changed to a cringed look of pain after she hit him over the head.

"Do that again and I'll make sure you regret it..." she playfully seethed.

They both laughed out loud before continuing their search.

"That's amazing Isaac, truly it is."

"Yes, I agree with her Isaac... Truly. _Amazing._"

The sudden angry voice stopped both adepts in their tracks. Isaac glanced to Mia, whose expression showed she had heard it too.

"Not possible..." he growled, "how are you communicating with us?"

The voice laughed, "Do you truly believe that you have a better understanding of the Sun and its abilities then I?"

Isaac gritted his teeth, "What do you want... Alex?"

Alex chuckled, "Meet me at the top of Mars... Now. Or I will torch what's left of your precious village..."

Both Isaac's and Mia's eyes went wide and they both looked at each other.

"Fine..." Isaac replied.

"And bring Mia as well..."

Isaac started to panic, "What? Why!?"

Alex laughed, "Same reason as to why you're coming here Isaac. You don't want to be considered a man without a village do you?"

The voice laughed before it faded away, and both adepts relaxed their guard slightly.

"Can you get us there with your teleport?" asked Mia, taking out her mace.

Isaac nodded, "Regardless of what waits for us at Mars, I will protect you."

Mia smiled and stepped into his waiting arms, "Just because you're the Hero of Weyard, doesn't mean I won't be protecting you either..."

He smiled back and nodded and they both shared a brief embrace before disappearing in a flash of light.

_End Flashback_

Mia sighed again as she continued her trek towards the Lighthouse. The snow had stopped since she left the Liabens and the act itself made her curious.

"Strange," she said aloud as she passed Imil's item and weapons shop, "it rarely stops snowing here..."

"Indeed it doesn't," said a voice from behind her.

Mia turned around to see who it was, "Oh, Ralin, good to see you."

"Likewise Ma'am, although I was honestly not expecting to see you out and about today. Isn't it your day off from duty?"

Mia smiled at him, "Yes, but Mr. Liaben was sick for the last few days and I never had the chance to go over and visit, so I took today to do so. How's business?"

"Ah, I see," he replied. "Weapons and such are selling fairly well. Seems I have a reputation in Biblin at making some of the best shields in this part of Weyard."

Mia chuckled, "Indeed you do, I remember Isaac buying one from you and he marveled at its craftsmanship from here until we made it to the Mogall Forest."

She stopped suddenly, as the memories flooded her consciousness and she could almost hear Isaac's laughter and his nitpicking over the shield.

Ralin didn't see her falter, "That is fine news for me! Thank you Miss Mia. Do give my best wishes to the young Hero."

She quickly collected herself, and without missing a beat replied, "Of course Ralin. If you'll excuse me, I have an interest in climbing the Lighthouse today."

"Of course Miss, do be careful though. I hear a few beasts have made our beloved Lighthouse their home. Should you find them, do give them my regards."

Mia snickered, "Of course Ralin, I wouldn't dream of doing anything else."

The two waved and parted ways, and Mia did her best to keep her emotions in check as she proceeded to the base of Mercury.

"So much time has past and still no word... Please Mercury, watch over him..."

As she neared the base, she gasped in surprise as the aerie lit up with blue sparks and bolts of psynergy.

"Maybe she heard me..." Mia whispered to herself, but the eruption grew more violent.

_'Something is not right at all,'_ she mused to herself. _'This reminds me of what happened at Mars... I wonder if...'_

Her eyes widened at the prospect of her thoughts and she felt a great power well up inside her. Monsters appeared in the doorway to the Lighthouse and Mia felt herself grow angry at the beasts.

"If he is up there... You will not stop me from reaching the aerie..."

Her eyes started to shine a blue light as she took out her mace. Mercury's eruption triggered something inside her and she felt strength and power flow off her body in waves.

Her eyes hardened, "You told me to keep it safe, and safe I will keep it..."

_Flashback:_

_Just outside the Mars Lighthouse_

Red flashes and bolts of crimson rained down on Isaac and Mia, who had just appeared mere feet from Mars' entrance.

"Quickly!" Isaac shouted, "into the Lighthouse!"

They dashed inside, narrowly missing a red bolt, that seemed to be aimed at them specifically.

"Welcome, my guests!" boomed Alex's voice.

Both adepts readied their weapons and stood back to back, "Show yourself!" they called in unison.

"You know where I am! Do take your time. Now that I know you're here, I have all the time in the world..."

The voice faded and Mia cringed, "Something in his voice and how he said that makes me uneasy..."

Isaac nodded, placing the sword into its sheath on his back, "Agreed. We must step carefully."

They silently nodded to each other and Isaac led the way to the teleporter that resided in the main chamber of Mars.

Mia looked to him, "Isaac... Do you know why the Mars beacon was reacting the way it was? And perhaps why its so much hotter in here?"

Isaac nodded, "I have an idea, although I'm not too sure..."

Mia rolled up her sleeves, "It's better then nothing. I don't recall Mars being this hot."

He chuckled, "Well... Mars' strange behavior is likely caused by Alex. I can't speak for him directly, but I'd be willing to bet he's somehow influencing the beacon."

Mia stumbled a bit at his words, "How would he do that? He has the Venus part of the Sun, doesn't he? Why would Mars react so strongly to him?"

Isaac smiled at her as they neared the chamber, "Good point, but I believe that's due to the relationship shared by Mars and Venus, just as Jupiter and Mercury share one too. Makes me wonder though, if this is how the Lighthouses act without using their respective element, how would they react when the right element was used?"

Mia shivered despite the heat, "I do not want to think about that."

He nodded silently as they entered Mars' central chamber. With the beacon now lit, the snow that use to cover various statues in the room had all melted away and the dragon's head high above them seemed to glow at their presence.

"Look," Isaac said, while pointing to a glowing tile, "the teleporter is still active. Let's go."

Mia nodded and they both stepped onto the tile. The world around them flashed white for a brief moment before they found themselves staring at nothing but air and it was a long way down from the top of the Mars Lighthouse.

They looked at each other and silently assured the other while taking out their weapons. Quickly and quietly they rushed to the beacon's well and as they climbed the stairs, both adepts scowled as Alex was waiting for them.

"That was fast," he said causally, "I wasn't expecting you two to come running to your deaths so soon."

Isaac growled, "Save it Alex, what do you want?"

Alex's cheery mood vanished, "I want what is rightfully mine, but seeing as I have you and the Wise One against me, I've had to come up with another way to take it from you..."

Isaac narrowed his eyes, "What are you talking about?"

"Did you know?" asked Alex, "that the beacons are more then just conduits that Alchemy takes to unleash itself upon this world?"

He turned around and held up his opens arms to the ball of psynergy that hovered in front of them.

"These wondrous artifacts also served as Gateways to another Realm, a place that _is_ Alchemy..."

Isaac and Mia started to lower their weapons.

"To a mere mortal, this place is both paradise and death, as anyone who strays into this world is immediately decomposed into the four basic elements... It is the lifeblood, the heart of Weyard..."

He turned around to them, and pointed at Isaac, "But for you... for me, this place is a Realm of Power... For those who harbor the Sun, this is the source, the very essence of our strength and it is ours for the taking..."

The adepts readied their weapons, "You're mad!" bellowed Isaac.

Alex just laughed, "I prefer to think of it as cunning..."

The Mercury adept snapped his fingers and red tendrils of psynergy lashed out from the beacon and ensnared Isaac.

"Isaac!" cried Mia as she lunged at them with her mace. She swung at them, hoping to cut them but her mace just went through the psynergy without effecting them at all. Undeterred she focused all of her psynergy onto her mace, forming a blue shroud around it. With a determined fire in her eyes, she struck at Mars' psynergy, and this time she hit something solid, but despite all her efforts, she still couldn't cut through it.

"No use, sister!" shouted Alex. "You're psynergy isn't strong enough to cut the threads of Mars!"

Alex laughed aloud, his voice cracking as he casually stepped into the beacon.

"I'll be waiting... Isaac..."

The Venus adept dropped to his knees and fell back, as the psynergy pulled him closer and closer to the beacon. Mia grabbed a hold of his tunic and did her best to pull, but Mars was stronger.

Isaac, with his sword still in hand, took the blade and with all his strength and a little psynergy, he rammed it into the stone to create an anchor. He tightened his grip on the hilt as the slack from Mars' threads pulled tight and he found himself parallel with the floor, facing up to the night sky.

Mia helped him as best she could, but was powerless to stop Mars from consuming him.

With tear strained eyes she looked at him, his soft gaze telling her it would be alright.

"Mia... Come closer..." he mumbled as he struggled against the beacon's pull.

"I'm so sorry Isaac, please, hold on we'll think of something, we'll..."

With strength that surprised her, he used one hand to hold himself in place and the other to bring her face to his. Before their lips met, she could briefly see that his eyes started to shine gold. Her heart stopped when they finally met and time slowed as she felt his hand slipping from the hilt.

Just as she was about to pull away to look at him once more, a great power rushed through her limbs and she realized what Isaac had done.

"A gift..." he wheezed, straining to keep his hold. "Keep it safe, Mia..."

"NO! You'll die!"

Isaac lost his reaming grip and was pulled into Mars' beacon.

_End Flashback_

Mia's eyes burned with the powers of Mercury, Jupiter and Mars. The Lighthouse had become heavily populated with monsters, all of varying types and strength but none of them stood a chance against the power of a nearly complete Sun.

She fought long and hard, each swing of her mace imbued with the powers of the Elements as she made her way to the top.

She panted, but finally stood before the waterfall, dripping wet from just crossing through it.

"Ply," she said without hesitation and the water changed directions upon her command. Mia stepped into the flow and was carried away to the aerie.

She only closed her eyes for a second, and the moment she opened them, a bright sunny day met them, with a view that spanned miles.

She smiled lightly, before charging to the beacon's well.

_'I have no idea if you're still alive Isaac, but I believe that you are...'_ she thought to herself as she climbed the first set of stairs.

_'But if you're not... and Alex crawls out of whatever hole he hid in, I'll be sure to kill him...'_

She bounded up the last set of stairs and came face to face with a very unstable blue ball of psynergy.

Mercury's beacon thrashed back and forth, pulsating and rotating at incredible speeds. It looked as if something were on the inside, trying desperately to fight its way out. The beacon's walls twisted and turned and then sunk in on itself before restoring to a somewhat normal size and state. No sooner had it calmed however, the process simply repeated.

_'Or maybe... It's trying to keep something in...'_ she wondered to herself.

The beacon pulsed brightly, before cracking open and releasing a tired looking young man. The light was too bright, and she couldn't tell who it was, but once it closed shut, the voice she heard sent her heart racing.

"Curse you Isaac! Curse you to hell and beyond!!"

Isaac stumbled forward, panting and looking extremely pale. He smiled weakly, "Miss me?" before falling to the ground. Mia rushed forward and had cast Ply even before she bent down to pick him up.

Tears fell freely from her eyes, "You're okay! You're okay!" she repeated over and over, holding him close and crying.

Isaac's strength quickly returned and he sat up, with her help and held her close.

"It's alright," he said, gasping for air. "It's over. It's all over now."

Mia looked at him through teary eyes, "What... what _happened_ to you?"

She looked him over quickly, and saw that he was wearing the same thing he wore when he was taken from her.

Isaac shook his head, "I honestly, don't know. I remember fighting Alex on and off for what felt like a lifetime. In between fights, I wandered aimlessly. The last battle, I managed to take his piece from him, and I felt your presence, so I followed that and, well, now I'm here."

They both turned to look at the beacon and to their delight, the orb had returned to its natural state of being.

"Do you think its really over?" she asked, helping him up. "Do you think Alex is gone?"

Isaac chuckled, "Yup, positive this time."

"How so?"

"Because I'm alive... When the beacon absorbed me, Alex's piece of the Sun broke again, and I somehow came to have it. I think the Wise One had something to do with that."

Mia smiled, "You survived, and have the complete piece, meaning..."

Isaac nodded, "He's either dead, or trapped there forever."

Mia stepped into Isaac's arms and laid her head on his shoulder, "That's good enough for me."

"Me too."

They both stood like that for a short time, each enjoying the others company for the first time in years and as they parted, they shared a quick kiss before heading to the elevator to take them down.

"So... What did I miss?"

Mia chuckled, "Well, there's a few people in Imil who have wished you well and have said we make a good couple. Oh, and Garet and Jenna are expecting sometime soon."

Isaac shook his head, "Looks like I have some catching up to do."

Mia smiled as they got on the elevator, "Yes you do," and she pulled him in for another warm embrace.

XXXX

_A/N:_

_Okay, so that's the one shot. Yeah, little strange with sending Isaac INTO the beacon but I couldn't think of anything else that had a remote chance in hell of being plausible and still somewhat unique and not all mushy. Hopefully I didn't loose too many people with that stunt. I kinda made it plausible right? I admit, could have executed the whole thing a little differently, but I'm satisfied. Are you?_


End file.
